Are there really people here spending $600 on a new driver?

[ace919]

I'm all for buying the latest and greatest equipment if that's your cup of tea. But there really is no evidence that the price tag is correlated with performance, so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

[tatertot]

This will not end well ...

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

I'd rather buy the last generation at a discounted price.

[Righty to Lefty]

$600 for just the shaft upgrade you mean?!! 

[millerj]

No way I'd buy a $600 driver.... it has to at least be $900+ to accommodate the aftermarket shaft that suits my swing the best 😉 

[Righty to Lefty]

3 minutes ago, Mikey_HACKilroy said:

I'd rather buy the last generation at a discounted price.

Blasphemy!! 

[getitdaily]

I hope so. Makes them cheaper when I buy them.

[grm24]

5 minutes ago, ace919 said:

I'm all for buying the latest and greatest equipment if that's your cup of tea. But there really is no evidence that the price tag is correlated with performance, so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

People were paying $600+ for some drivers in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

 

How about this driver?

https://www.pgatoursuperstore.com/beres-07-4-star-47g/1119154003.html?country=US&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjwmK6IBhBqEiwAocMc8u9jxnYS6rGiOxi2jUTr5oHZhaLXS0PsdMAo1DE705MBcM5eHlN6qxoCwVYQAvD_BwE

[ace919]

1 minute ago, Mikey_HACKilroy said:

 

How about this driver?

https://www.pgatoursuperstore.com/beres-07-4-star-47g/1119154003.html?country=US&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjwmK6IBhBqEiwAocMc8u9jxnYS6rGiOxi2jUTr5oHZhaLXS0PsdMAo1DE705MBcM5eHlN6qxoCwVYQAvD_BwE

With that driver you will see me waiting on every par 4 tee box for the green to clear. I mean, that's what the price indicates right? Jokes aside, that driver does look pretty sick. 

[GHIN n Juice]

4 minutes ago, Mikey_HACKilroy said:

 

How about this driver?

https://www.pgatoursuperstore.com/beres-07-4-star-47g/1119154003.html?country=US&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjwmK6IBhBqEiwAocMc8u9jxnYS6rGiOxi2jUTr5oHZhaLXS0PsdMAo1DE705MBcM5eHlN6qxoCwVYQAvD_BwE

Too shiny on the crown.  I’d send it for a $400 custom paint job, hot melt and a custom ostrich headcover.

[MattM97]

Are there really people here that worry how others spend their own money? 

[driveandputtmachine]

11 minutes ago, ace919 said:

With that driver you will see me waiting on every par 4 tee box for the green to clear. I mean, that's what the price indicates right? Jokes aside, that driver does look pretty sick. 

Hey with Rakuten you get 2% cash back on the purchase, so 37.50 back.  

[third-times-a-charm]

24 minutes ago, ace919 said:

I'm all for buying the latest and greatest equipment if that's your cup of tea. But there really is no evidence that the price tag is correlated with performance, so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

Not sure if you know this but there are people out there who have lots of money and like spending it. Also people with no money but still spend it, but thats besides the point.

 

 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

I mean, in all honesty..... we all spend $600 on our drivers..... We re-grip them...... We buy weight kits.... New Shafts........ Lead Tape...... It adds up... 😄

[shaolingolfer]

$600 for one driver that probably not include tax!  And more than likely we need at least a backup!

 

 

[lazyjc4]

I've caddied for uber-wealthy people most of my adult life (not sure how many of them are on here).  In my experience, most of them have no clue how much their clubs cost.  They get fit and order them.  Next release cycle: wash, rinse, repeat. 

[Chunkitgood]

8 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

Are there really people here that worry how others spend their own money? 

Yes because the prices people pay for things sets the prices other people have to pay for things.

[toddyc]

33 minutes ago, ace919 said:

I'm all for buying the latest and greatest equipment if that's your cup of tea. But there really is no evidence that the price tag is correlated with performance, so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

Somebody is buying them

 

Try finding a 10 year old driver that isn't mauled. There is value in having a club that has not been used and abused by anyone before you

[ace919]

14 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

Are there really people here that worry how others spend their own money? 

The how is of no concern to me. It's the why. 

 

38 minutes ago, ace919 said:

 so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

Edit: If you have any personal experience in answering this question please share. 

Edited August 23, 2023 by ace919

[ShortGolfer]

Yes, just last year I got fitted for driver at Club Champion.  Instantly solved my driver issues.

Learned a ton about finding clubs that fit me in a couple of hours. 

Got a set of fitted clubs and a very useful education at the same time!

 

For less than $200 I put together a shiny new backup driver made up of new unused parts purchased off eBay.

I now have 41" Stealth set to 14* for playing short courses and a 42"  Stealth set to  a little lower.  

 

[tatertot]

20 minutes ago, driveandputtmachine said:

Hey with Rakuten you get 2% cash back on the purchase, so 37.50 back.  

You really can't afford not to buy it.

[supadupachalupa]

21 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

Are there really people here that worry how others spend their own money? 

 

Well my wife is here and she definitely cares how I spend my (<-- she calls it "our") money so yea............

[ace919]

14 minutes ago, lazyjc4 said:

I've caddied for uber-wealthy people most of my adult life (not sure how many of them are on here).  In my experience, most of them have no clue how much their clubs cost.  They get fit and order them.  Next release cycle: wash, rinse, repeat. 

Similar idea from people who buy the new iPhone every year, that market is always there. But I believe there are other people buying them because they actually believe the technology is better and therefore will perform better than older models. 

 

[tippethor]

I would never fork out $600 for a new driver. Just ordered a TSR4 with gen4 black tx for $480 🥳😂

[Anser3]

48 minutes ago, ace919 said:

I'm all for buying the latest and greatest equipment if that's your cup of tea. But there really is no evidence that the price tag is correlated with performance, so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

 

 

To answer the question you posted in the thread topic.  No, I will not spend $600 on a  driver.  I cut off at $599.99.   

 

In all honesty, OEM's will keep raising prices  (Or at least holding them) until golfers stop spending the asking price.  I agree club prices are crazy. Performance gains across generations of new clubs are negligible in many cases  (almost all major breakthroughs a person may see are the result of a properly fitted club).  This is not new.  Check out this link to an SI article from 1996 regarding titanium drivers.  https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/02/12/titanium-drivers-made-of-this-space-age-metal-may-be-more-accurate-and-longer-theyre-surely-costlier

 

Prices in 1996 were crazy  (akin to $900 VCR's in 1980).  BTW, I love how John Solheim doesn't even defend the price and just says Ping clubs have always been high priced (not a knock on Solheim at all--he is one of the true gentlemen in the history of the game... as was his father.  His son, John, is a good guy as well). 

[Anser3]

2 minutes ago, Anser3 said:

 

 

To answer the question you posted in the thread topic.  No, I will not spend $600 on a  driver.  I cut off at $599.99.   

 

In all honesty, OEM's will keep raising prices  (Or at least holding them) until golfers stop spending the asking price.  I agree club prices are crazy. Performance gains across generations of new clubs are negligible in many cases  (almost all major breakthroughs a person may see are the result of a properly fitted club).  This is not new.  Check out this link to an SI article from 1996 regarding titanium drivers.  https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/02/12/titanium-drivers-made-of-this-space-age-metal-may-be-more-accurate-and-longer-theyre-surely-costlier

 

Prices in 1996 were crazy  (akin to $900 VCR's in 1980).   John Solheim's quote is a favorite of mine. 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Anser3

[Pepperturbo]

The OP @ace919 is right; price is NOT a determining factor regarding club performance.  But let's not overlook $599 Driver plus our body's contribution to improved performance, or no improved performance.  Could very well be the $599 driver is NOT the culprit that is lacking.

 

Also too many people don't look at the real costs associated with golf.  How about the cost of gas to drive to the LGS to test that driver?  How about RT driving an hour to a golf course and paying $100 per person, plus cost of lunch?  Many of my rounds with my wife are $100+ x2, and gas costs 5.47 a gallon = 1/4 of a tank in my DD, $30ish for that trip + lunch at $12 x2  = $250+.  Times 4 times per month $1000+ out-a-pocket, plus cost of rounds by myself.  

 

Golf is a reoccurring monthly expense, while that $599 driver is a one-time expense.  Presuming the person buying uses good judgment.

 

[OakRockHacker]

 

14 minutes ago, ace919 said:

23 minutes ago, ace919 said:

 so I'm more so curious if people buying the club actually think they will hit the ball straighter and further than, let's say, a 2011 Cobra Long Tom. 

Edit: If you have any personal experience in answering this question please share. 

Yes, you will almost certainly see a measurable difference in distance and possibly dispersion if you get properly fit for a driver that is 12 years newer than what you have.  Even if your 2011 driver is (still) a perfect fit, driver technology has improved enough that you will (again, almost certainly) see an increase in ball speed.  I see that the Long Tom is a 48inch driver with a lightweight head, so if this is some kind of a trick question, congrats, you baited me into a serious answer.

 

That being said, you can absolutely spend less than $600 on a new (or new to you) driver that will also give you increased performance.  Obviously everyone has different priorities so exactly how much someone is willing to spend for what amount of increased performance comes down to many many different factors.  $600 every year (even without recouping any money from trading in or reselling last years driver) is a drop in the bucket of golf expenses to some, and completely out of the question for others.

 

I got fit last winter for a new driver that I hit further and straighter than the roughly 6 year old driver I had been playing.  I went with a year old model that had just been discounted because the newest one was either just out or about to come out.

[POKeefe]

Callaway's 2x trade-in bonus is enticing when you have an iron set that's not well suited to you anymore in the backup bag...